Hiking the Garibaldi Lake area Special

Whistler
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Garibaldi Lake is off the busy Sea-to-Sky highway 99 between Vancouver and Whistler and can be easily reached after less than a two-hour drive from Vancouver.

Garibaldi Lake is located within Garibaldi Lake Provincial Park. Its total area is about 1,500 square kilometres with a wilderness of volcanic mountains, glacial lakes and alpine meadows, with Mount Garibaldi as the highest peak at 2,678 metres. The lake is beautifully located close to the peak of Black Tusk (2,315 metres) and the Panorama Ridge (2,100 metres) which can be all visited within 2 days' hiking in the area.

Entry point to the area of Garibaldi Lake with Panorama Ridge (2,100 metres) in the background, BC, Canada.

The whole beauty of hiking and seeing the lake lies not only in the fact that this is classified as a moderate hike but also that the hiking itself is done on a very even and conditioned trail that (in mountainous situations) can be considered as a paved one. No slippery rocks or tree roots sticking out that can hamper the hike compared with a trail to Wedgemount Lake. The elevation gain on the trail from the parking lot to the lake is 810 metres.

Regular hiking shoes are good enough to get to the lake which can be reached after about a 9 km hike. The first 5 km is a constantly steep trail, a bit hard to hike in the beginning while the remaining 4 km leading straight to the lake is very easy, almost without any ups and downs. The entire trail can be a really enjoyable hiking experience for everyone. Getting to the Black Tusk point or to Panorama Ridge would require better quality hiking boots and this must be taken into consideration when planning your trip including not only a visit at the Garibaldi Lake.

The lake has its own glacier that is visible on the east side. Although it's not so spectacular as the one of Wedgemount Lake or Matier Glacier of Joffre Lake, it is also receding with its front portion above the lake's water line.

Black Tusk (2,316 metres), a volcanic rock in the area of Garibaldi Lake, BC, Canada.